


You Were Here

by Soyna



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-26
Updated: 2011-08-26
Packaged: 2017-10-24 15:12:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/264914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soyna/pseuds/Soyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Reno is forced to go on a mission and has a run in with a ice storm, a chocobo and Cloud.</i></p><hr/>
            </blockquote>





	You Were Here

**Author's Note:**

> **Setting:** After Dirge and Advent are said and done.
> 
>  **Rating, Genre and Warnings:** Teen to Mature, Kind of Sappy. Boy's kissing Boys, the usual.
> 
>  **Characters:** Reno and Cloud (and SMOKY! Hurr hurr)
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted by the almighty Square Enix©. I do not profit from this endeavour.

Reno was pissed at Tseng and his stupid phobia of chocobos.

Tseng was not normally the type to pass off missions to him, but he saw how his boss' face twisted as he read the document and glared at Rufus. "This will require riding chocobos," Tseng said curtly.

Rufus nodded and Reno could see the play of a smirk on his lips. "I'm afraid that it will."

Suddenly, the mission specs were shoved into Reno's hand.

"No fuckin' way, yo," he said as he skimmed over the papers. "I'm supposed ta be on vacation startin' tomorrow!" Reno read the paper in more detail. It would take him a week to do and that was if there wasn't a blizzard in Icicle.

"I got plans in Costa," Reno whimpered. The last place he wanted to be was in a place where he had to wear clothes. He wanted to be warm and nearly naked in the sun and there was no way he could do that at Icicle.

"I'll give you another two weeks if you do this," Tseng said quickly and without consulting Rufus who frowned at the suggestion.

Reno raised his eyebrows at that and smirked at Tseng. "Ya really hate chocobos, don't ya?"

Tseng narrowed his eyes, "I will rescind my offer of vacation."

Reno shut up, took the paper, saluted and got ready to freeze his balls off.

He didn't think that he would literally be freezing his balls and every other appendage as well when he arrived there. The start of the mission went so well that he thought he would be done a whole two days early. The sun was out and the weather was mild and he got to the old coots house earlier than anticipated. He also had to explain to the man why Tseng wasn't the one that showed up.

"Still doesn't get along with the birds, eh?" was statement he got in return along with a knowing chuckle as he gathered the small briefcase of papers. "Tell him that's all I could salvage from the lab. Everything else was covered with mold and shit. I destroyed the rest."

Reno just nodded and headed back out in the cold. The old man had yelled at him, saying that a blizzard was coming and he should stay the night. He looked at the clear blue sky as he mounted his grey chocobo and laughed.

He should have listened to the old coot.

As he traveled back, the blizzard hit, hard and fast. Reno swore the temperature dropped twenty degrees. He got to the point where he couldn't feel his fingers anymore, even buried into the feathers of the chocobo. He was thankful that the bird seemed to know where home was because his face was buried in the feathers of the neck. Every time he tried to look forward, his eyes began to water and he feared that they might freeze shut.

He didn't open his eyes until he noticed that the wind wasn't tearing at his clothes and the snow and ice were no longer beating at his sides. He blinked and looked around him. The bird was tugging at his leg with its sharp beak.

"Thank, Shiva," he groaned as he realized that he was in the barn where he rented the bird. The chocobo warked at him and shook her whole body and when he was not expecting it. He fell off and didn't have the strength to curse or swear as he landed into a pile of warm straw. The chocobo then shook again, covering him with the snow that had remained on her feathers, before she walked deeper into the barn, returning to her stall.

It took him a few minutes to pick himself up.

He was freezing. He couldn't wait to get to the inn, stand in a hot shower and then crawl into a warm bed after eating a warm dinner, smoking half a pack of smokes and drink a cold bottle of beer.

He staggered after the chocobo. He needed to retrieve his bags off the saddle of the bird before he went in.

On his way down the barn aisle he had to pause and look into one of the open stalls. He blinked a few times and shook his head, trying to make sure he was seeing things right and it wasn't just because he had ice in his eyeballs.

"I never knew that you took yer nickname so seriously, yo," Reno said to the figure in the stable.

The blue eyes narrowed at him for a moment before they turned back to the large motorcycle that was in the chocobo stall. Cloud looked like he was pretty beat up from the weather as well. He was wearing heavy black winter gear but it looked like he had just come out of the cold. His nose was bright red, his cheeks were flushed and his normally spiky hair was crushed and droopy.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cloud said through tight, possibly frozen lips.

"I can ask you the same thing," Reno shotback.

They stared at each other for a moment. Reno noticed that there was a bedroll on the floor of the stall beside his massive motorcycle. "Seriously, ya stayin' in the barn, yo?"

Cloud snorted. "Inn's full." Cloud turned away from him. "And I can't leave Fenrir out in the storm." Cloud pulled a blanket out of one of the many compartments of his bike.

He chuckled as he walked to the stall where he had seen his chocobo disappear into. The bird had already removed the riding gear herself. He could see the tears in the leather saddle and bridle as it was tossed in a corner. The briefcase that he needed wasn't there and he could see that she was sitting on it.

She warked as he took a step forward and her beady little eyes were focused on him. "Jus' need my bag, bird," he whispered trying to keep his voice calm. He had seen the results of what beaks and claws could do when the cursed things were upset. Even the tamest of the chocobos could throw a temper tantrum and do some serious damage.

Reno inched forward slowly and reached out hesitantly, keeping an eye on that sharp beak. He could see that she was agitated as she started to flap her wings. He barely got out of the way after he had moved close enough to make her charge in response. She lunged forward, nearly catching his hand with her beak. He jumped back and slammed his shoulders and back against the stall. She reached forward with her clawed foot and wrapped it possessively around the briefcase.

He was beginning to understand Tseng distaste for the birds.

"Aw, fuck you, Smoky," Reno grunted.

The bird let out a very loud wark that made him cover his ears. She ruffled her feathers to make herself look bigger and the case was gripped tighter in her claws.

"That's no way to treat a chocobo," A familiar voice said dourly.

He turned to see Cloud leaning against the door of the stable with a smirk on his face. "You'll piss her off even more."

"Yo, I can handle a dumb bird," Reno said and straightened up as he glared at Cloud. Smoky flapped her wings a few more times as if she could understand him. "I just need that case."

He was not expecting her to lunge at him again. He was quick enough to avoid her sharp beak and ended up nearly hopping over the stable door.

"Are you sure you can handle a _dumb bird_?" Cloud said.

Reno glared at him and walked over to the stall door that Cloud held open for him. Cloud had taken of his heavy winter coat and was wearing a dark-heavy knit turtle neck sweater and his regular style of cargo pants. "Well, how would you handle her?" he grumbled.

Smoky did not look like she was calming down at all. He didn't know what was in those papers, but he was pretty sure Tseng would be pissed if they were ripped apart by a chocobo's claws or shit on. He certainly didn't want to carry them around either if that was the case.

Cloud snorted. "What's in there?"

Reno shrugged and stuck his hands in his jacket pockets. He really wanted out of this stable and into the Inn. He was tired, hungry and dying for a drink and now he was dealing with a pissy chocobo and a smart-ass delivery boy. "Papers of some sort. I dunno." Reno shrugged as he spoke. "Jus' doin' your job and being a delivery boy, yo."

Cloud looked over at the bird, who was calmed down a little bit but her eyes were still on Reno. "I think she hates you."

"Most likely," Reno snorted.

Cloud looked at him and he smiled. Reno raised his eyebrows at that. Reno had had a lot of encounters with Cloud and during none of them, did he smile like this. This was a smile that had him greatly concerned and reminded him of when Rufus wanted something. It was a smirk … not a smile. A damn smirk.

"What do ya want?" he asked and crossed his arms waiting for the catch.

"You have a room at the Inn," Cloud said and that smirk grew wider. He really did look good with a smile and he may have appreciated it more if Cloud wasn't trying to blackmail him.

"I'm not givin' up the room," Reno snapped. Smoky warked loudly at the tone of his voice and he really just wanted to pull out his gun and get the papers back that way. The stable owner and Rufus would have his hide but he would feel better for a moment or two.

"How about sharing?" Cloud asked as he turned his head to look at Smoky as she wiggled her wings and twisted her claws until the leather of the briefcase creaked.

"Sharing?" Reno was taken aback the suggestion. Cloud wanted to share a room with him. He knew the blizzard was bad but he didn't think Cloud would tolerate him that much. "With you, yo?"

"It's nothing I haven't done before," Cloud stopped leaning against the pen. He stood in a manner that he saw all SOLDIERs do. They never were really at ease. Cloud may have not officially made the cut into the program but was still the most feared and honoured warrior on the planet. "I have no qualms about sleeping with the chocobos either," Cloud added and started to walk away.

"Alright!" Reno blurted. "Just get the damn case for me, will ya."

Cloud nodded and walked to the far end of the stable and rummaged through a box. "What the hell are ya doin', yo? You said you were helpin' me with this bitch!"

Smoky let it be known that she didn't like being called a 'bitch' and gave out a mighty squawk, and flapped her wings, raising dust and straw.

"You have to stop calling her names," Cloud said as he came back with a small metal pail. "Open the door please and if you can keep your mouth shut until I get your briefcase back, I would appreciate it."

Reno grunted but pressed his lips together tightly. He opened the small door and watched as Cloud walked into the stall and instead of making a racket like she did with him, she kewhed softly and tilted her head to the side.

Cloud reached into the bucket and pulled out a small green. Reno didn't know what type it was but it must have been one that Smoky liked because she made another kewhing sound and stood up. She lowered her head, ruffled her feathers and took a small step forward.

Reno wanted to tell Cloud that he was cheating. Everyone responds better with food and drink. Smoky ate the green out of Cloud's hand and then she started to chirp when he scratched behind her crest. "There you go," Cloud said softly. "The big bad Turk didn't know that you wanted a treat to warm you up from that cold weather."

"Yo, if ya want some floor space in my room, don't bad mouth me to the bird," Reno said and knew he was pouting as he watched her butt her head against Cloud's chest and the blond continued to scratch behind it's crest. He could see the leather case, which was still in one piece and no longer under the claw of the bird.

Cloud pulled out a nut and gave it to the chocobo and manoeuvred around so that he was near the case. He reached down and picked it up, startling her and she nearly ripped the bucket from Cloud's hands as she panicked. It was only Cloud's quick reflexes that allowed him to move out of the way before he was crushed against the stall wall.

Reno smirked as Smoky dumped the bucket and ate the nuts and greens. Cloud held the case to his chest and tried to catch his breath.

"Told ya the bird was a bitch."

Cloud nodded as he looked at Smoky picked at the nuts and greens that were spilled around her stall. When she encountered the bucket she picked it up and deftly threw it at them. Cloud took a step back to avoid getting hit by the projectile.

"I guess she is," Cloud said and then held the leather case in his hands. "What's in here?"

"Told ya, I dunno, yo," Reno said and held out his hand for the case. "Something that Reeve and Tseng wanted." He gave a shrug as he moved his hand over the case to see if Smoky's claws had broke through. "I dunno and don't care. Got an extra two weeks vacation out of the deal to put up with the bitchy bird and the cold."

"Reeve wanted this?" Cloud said.

Reno shrugged. He didn't want to know what was in it. If Reeve wanted it, it was over his head. "Jus' tryin' to do my job." Reno shook his hand as it was still empty. "Ya wanna do the rest of the delivery or ya gonna hand it over? You won't get any extra pay."

Cloud handed over the small leather briefcase and his eyes turned over to the bird that warked at them before she settled down back on the floor and curled up with her head underneath a wing.

"She is quite a temperamental bird," Cloud said and turned from him.

Reno followed after him and admired the view from behind. He always was an ass man and Cloud had a fine one. It was always in a pair of heavy pants or hiding behind that funny leather half-skirt that he wore. These pants were snug so he was able to get a good view, but he always wondered what Cloud would look like in a snug pair of shorts … or less.

The opportunities that were presenting himself on this mission were greatly improving his outlook on life.

Cloud walked back into the stall where he had Fenrir and he leaned against his bike.

"Yo, pack up your stuff," Reno said as Cloud stood there. "I'm not helpin' ya carry that shit into the Inn. I ain't no pack chocobo."

"You're still going to share your room?" Cloud seemed a bit startled.

"You were the one that struck up the deal," Reno said and bounced in place. "Plus, it would be nice to have company that doesn't look like a bear. Have ya seen most of the guys around here?" He wasn't joking about the people. He knew the temperature was rugged and all, but everyone look like they had a coat of fur when he booked the room.

Not exactly his type of company.

Cloud snorted but started to gather his stuff. Reno stopped bouncing as Cloud bent over to pick up the bed roll, jacket, blanket and a backpack.

Cloud indeed had a very nice ass.

Reno started to bounce again as Cloud locked some compartments on his bike and Reno felt his heart started to beat again. He had to get himself under control if he was going to be calm and cool around the blond and not a bungling idiot.

Reno wasn't looking forward to going out into the cold even if it was to get to the inn. He hoped that Cloud would be good company and not turn into his normal quiet self or harp on him about being a Turk.

Cloud turned with his jacket back on and all his necessities ready.

"Ready," Cloud said as he shouldered his bag.

"I'm looking forward to getting out of the cold, yo," Reno said and walked to the door.

The chocobo barn was cold, but not nearly as cold as it was when he opened the door and was being beat with snow and ice. The Inn was not that far, but it felt like it took hours. His nose and forehead were frozen by the time they got to the door and was greeted by real warmth.

Cloud just looked a little more flushed than before and his blue eyes brighter from being exposed to the cold. He had put a touque on sometime during the walk and it made him look a lot younger.

Reno asked for the key at the desk and they handed it over. The inn keeper looked between him and Cloud but didn't say anything. "Send up some of them steak sandwiches with a Caesar salad, a pot of coffee and some brandy." He was hungry for some warm food and he did not want to eat in the hole that they called a restaurant. He would rather not know that his food was coming from a dirty kitchen. Illusions kept him sane at times.

"For two?" The innkeeper questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course," Reno said and started to walk up the stairs to his room. "Comin'?" Reno said as he turned back to see Cloud looking like a stunned chocobo in the middle of the lobby. Cloud shook his head, grabbed his pack and followed after him.

He got to the room and opened the door. "After you."

Cloud walked in and looked around. The room was nice. He had to admit that Tseng at least got him the best room in the inn. The bed was a double and was layered heavily with blankets. There was a small round table with two chairs. Cloud put all his stuff on one of them. It had its own bathroom so you didn't have to go down the hall to the shared one.

The best part was the fireplace, which still had some smouldering logs in it. The maids must have made sure the fire was lit to keep the chill out of the room. He was glad because it was finally warm enough for his liking.

He would have to leave a good tip.

"Fancy room," Cloud said.

"Well, Tseng was originally supposed to be doin' the job so Rufus got him the good stuff. It was too late to change the plans," Reno said. "Tseng really doesn't like chocobo's, yo."

Cloud grunted in response and started to take his jacket off and Reno followed suit. The red-head was glad to get out of the winter jacket padded pants. He wasn't comfortable in anything but his suit. People always thought he hated his suit because he wore it so rumpled, but that was a lie. It was comfortable when he didn't have to wear a tie. Tseng always complained that it was a size to big, but it made it easier to run.

Of course, riding a chocobo in a suit — no matter how comfortable the suit may be — was not proper attire in the freezing tundra. He was wearing jeans with a pair of long-johns underneath, along with two sweaters over top of three different T-shirts.

Layers were supposed to keep you warm and it must have done the trick because the room got colder as he stripped the layers off.

"I don't think I have ever seen you out of a suit." Cloud chuckled as he hung up his coat in the closet. "Nice T-shirt."

Reno was down to the last T-shirt layer and his jeans. They were the most comfortable casual clothes that he owned and he found himself blushing at the slogan on his shirt. If he remembered he would have taken it off in the bathroom. It was a stupid gag-gift from Elena that he knew he should have thrown out or re-gifted.

It read, "Warning — Natural Redhead". It was embarrassing that Cloud noticed it.

"It was a gift from 'Laney, yo," he mumbled and ran his hand through his hair.

Cloud grunted, grabbing his discarded jacket and was hanging it up in the closet. "I'll make sure to call you when the food arrives."

Reno just nodded and walked into the small bathroom. He looked in the mirror and rolled his eyes. "Wonderful," he muttered to himself as he glared at the shirt that had an arrow point down to his groin. He threw off the shirt. The bathroom was a hell of a lot colder than the living room. He turned on the shower and tried not to think that he was going to have Cloud sleeping in the same room with him … eating in the same room with him … drinking with him.

He wondered if he could get him drunk.

Reno rolled his eyes at his own thoughts. Cloud wouldn't be interested in him and he doubted that Cloud was gay. He was living with Tifa and had girls flocking all over him. He shook his head and tested the water.

It was blissful warm and took the ice out of his veins. It was heaven and he stood there for a long time before he decided that he better wash the stink of Chocobo off his skin. His stomach was protesting in hunger at the thought of having something warm to drink.

The water was getting cold anyway, so he decided to get out. It was cold in the bathroom and he dried himself off as quickly as possible and wrapped himself in the complimentary robe that the inn provided. He wished they provided slippers because the floor was cold as he opened the bathroom door.

Reno was a little stunned at the sight that was in the room. Cloud had removed his sweater and was sitting with just a muscle shirt at the table with his right ankle balanced on his left knee. The fire was now roaring in the fire place. The food had arrived and it looked as if the blond was setting up the meal on the table.

Cloud had cleaned up all his discarded clothes and they were folded neatly on the dresser and he had his bedroll set up beside the bed.

It was strangely domestic of him to have done all this.

The Turk didn't know why seeing the bedroll laid out was disappointing.

Cloud turned to him. "Food and drink just arrived." He put a piece of lettuce in his mouth as sat back down on the chair.

He threw his jeans and other clothes on the dresser, not bothering to fold them. "Great, I'm starvin'."

They ate and drank in silence. Cloud was a slow eater or maybe he just wasn't that hungry. Reno was starving and dug into the food with zest. The coffee was nice and warm and the brandy was crap, but it had a wonderful burn that warmed up his insides.

It seemed to be doing the same to Clouds.

"That hit the spot, yo," Reno said as he leaned back in his chair and drained the last of his coffee out of his mug.

Cloud tipped the bottle of brandy into his cup. "It sure did. I will have to pay you for dinner."

"Nonsense," Reno said as he put his cup down. "Rufus' is pickin' up the tab and we kinda owe ya a few. A meal and a spot on the floor will hardly make up for all the shit that happened to you."

Cloud grunted and took a drink of his coffee and his eyes hooded slightly. "Then you should give me the bed for the night."

"I'm not sleeping on the floor. You may like it, yo, but I like a warm bed and covered with blankets." Reno said as he reached for the bottle and took a drink of the brandy. He coughed as it burned his throat.

The stuff was really awful.

Cloud chuckled. "Why did you order this? I'm sure the bar had some schnapps or Bailey's that would go better with the coffee."

"'Cause it's expensive and I ain't payin'," Reno said and took another drink. He was able to refrain from coughing this time but couldn't stop the shudder. Everything about him was warm except for his feet. The Turk pulled them underneath his butt to get them warmed up and felt his robe slip slightly. He quickly made sure that the robe remained closed, not wanting to flash the blond sitting across from him. He did notice that Cloud's eyes followed his legs as he moved and a new flush appeared on the blond's cheeks.

"Want me to get more coffee?" Cloud said briskly as he stood briskly and grabbed the empty carafe.

"If I drink any more coffee, I'll be up all night, yo," Reno said as he leaned back in his chair.

A smile pulled on the corner of the blond's mouth. "I'll be right back." Cloud stood gracefully and walked to the door where he staggered a bit before he walked over the threshold.

This was an interesting turn of events.

Reno spent the next ten minutes — which seemed to drag on for an hour— piling up the plates from their dinner, folding his clothes and doubting his instincts in regards to the fact that Cloud was hitting on him.

Reno was well aware that he had nothing to offer a hero like Cloud. He was a low-down dirty Turk and there was nothing that was going to change that.

The redhead sat back down at the table and was mentally telling himself that he was a fool for even thinking that Cloud was even remotely attracted to him when the door open and the blond in question walked in.

The blond hero was carrying a large pot than he had left with and also a bottle that looked like peppermint schnapps. Cloud closed the door as Reno gave him a curious look.

"I like this better," Cloud said as he set the containers down on the table, grabbed the cups they had been using and went to the washroom. "I'll wash these out."

Reno reached over and opened the pot and smelled hot chocolate. He smirked, "Did you bring up some mini-marshmallows too?"

He heard Cloud chuckle as he returned from the bathroom with damp mugs. "They didn't have any, but I thought the schnapps would make up for it. It's better than that brandy that you got."

Reno couldn't argue as he watched Cloud fill the cups half-way with the hot drink and then topped it up with the liquor. "Easy there, Cloudo! Are ya trying to get me drunk?"

Cloud stopped short on one of the cups and poured some more cocoa into his before sliding it over to him.

"I like it strong," Cloud said as he stirred his cup, tapping his spoon before dropping it into his cup. Reno noted that it didn't really answer his question, but he like the answer.

Reno stirred his cup and he could smell the alcohol coming off of it and inhaled deeply. "So," Reno asked as he tapped his spoon before he set it down on the plates that he hadn't put in the hall for pick-up yet. "How'd you get here with your bike and all, yo?"

Cloud blew on his cocoa. "I was supposed to be picking up some packages at Bone Village but they weren't done yet, so I went for a drive." Cloud sipped his drink and hummed at the flavour briefly. "Cid was supposed to pick me up back there, but the blizzard kept pushing me north. I ended up here."

"That's quite a drive," Reno said. "Especially in the snow on a motorbike, yo. Why did ya do that?"

Cloud shrugged and took another drink. "Was thinking." He gained the brooding look on his face that he remembered seeing on the blond's face when they were dealing with the remnants.

Reno rolled his eyes and took a drink of his cocoa. He had to admit that an overdose of the schnapps was much more warming than the brandy he ordered. He looked back over at Cloud to see that he was frowning into his mug.

"What are you running from now, Cloud?" Reno asked and put his cup down. Cloud thought too much. It was healthy for a guy to be so deep in thought all the time like that.

Cloud looked up and took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Not really running anymore. Just searching," Cloud said cryptically. It was like talking to Tseng and his metaphysical mumbo-jumbo that confused the hell out of him and made him feel like an idiot. He wasn't an idiot like some people thought he was, but being around people that talked in riddles made him feel like one.

He glared at the moody blond and twisted his lips together, "What are you looking for? There's nothing up here 'cept bones, chocobos and ice. All of which suck, yo."

Cloud looked directly at him and Reno noticed how intense his eyes were. They were the bluest-blue that he had ever seen and with the mako glow, they were — and he hated using this word when referencing a guy — beautiful. "I found you." Cloud lowered his gaze and his cheeks coloured. "Didn't I?"

Reno just about dropped his cup as he looked at the suddenly bashful blond. He wasn't imagining it. Cloud was trying to get him drunk and wanted to do more than just sleep on the floor. Or maybe he just wanted company. Or … he just decided to blurt out the next thought. "Yo! You are hitting on me!"

Cloud sunk in his chair a bit and didn't look up. He twirled the cup of cocoa in his hands. "I suck at this stuff," Cloud whispered and ran over his face.

"Ah, hell," Reno said. "I was …" He cleared his throat. "Hell, I thought I was imagining things, yo." Reno stood up and nearly yelped at how cold the floor was on his feet as he made his way to stand in front of the blond.

Cloud looked up at him but still had that serious look on his face. Reno liked it better when he was smiling or laughing. "I don't know if you were what I was supposed to find but," Cloud swallowed visibly and his eyes wandered down a bit. Reno could see that he was staring at the open robe and that his chest was exposed to his eyes before they rose to his. "You were here."

Reno just about rolled his eyes at the cryptic nature of Cloud's speech but didn't let him stop his next action. Darn right he was here and he was going to take advantage of the situation.

Turks were trained to take advantage of situations like these.

He didn't have much time to date with the hectic nature of being a Turk. Rude was straighter than a rail road track and his best friend, so he wasn't an option. There was the odd fling he had, but they weren't anything more than that. Being a Turk was actually rather lonely prospect and he didn't realize he wanted more until Cloud said those three simple words: "You were here."

Reno wasn't good at romance — actually really sucked at it — but this was as close as he was going to get and he was more than willing to jump all over it … and Cloud. He didn't know if it could work but at least they knew what each other had been through and they both had been through a lot; Cloud, more than him.

"I sure as hell am," Reno said and smiled down at Cloud, "So, what ya going to do about it, yo?"

Cloud looked stunned for a moment and only briefly. The blond stood and Reno was startled when he was suddenly pulled into a tight hug and lips were pressed against his; warm but demanding. One of Cloud's hands tangled into his still damp hair and another firmly holding him close at the center of his back. Reno readily melted into the kiss and moved his arms around his back and rubbed the beautifully firm muscles through the thin shirt the blond was wearing.

The kiss deepened and became a gentle battle of their tongues. Reno felt Cloud's chest press against his as his robe parted and felt the shock of his touch. It had been so long since someone had kissed him or touched him that it made him feel dizzy. Cloud tongue pressed against his and he was helpless to do anything but follow his lead. They kissed like that until they had to pull away panting to breathe. Reno was a little stunned by the intensity of it as he looked at Cloud and saw that he was smirking again.

"Fuck, you're a great kisser," Reno said and realized he sounded like a moron and wished he could take it back.

Cloud smirked, "I agree." His hand still stroked the back of his head and pulled on his red hair. Reno breath quickened as Cloud's other hand trailed along the edge of his open robe. Cloud cleared his throat still looking down his body for a moment before flicking his eyes back up. "My, you are a natural," Cloud said and wrapped his arms around him again but this time beneath the robe.

"Natural?" Reno was confused as what Cloud was trying to say.

The blond leaned into him and kissed his lips before saying, "Red head."

Reno groaned and leaned his head against Cloud shoulder. "I hate that stupid shirt."

"At least it wasn't false advertising." Cloud tugged on his hair gently so they were looking at each other again. Cloud was smirking again and there was a glint of humour in his eyes. "Want to see if my carpet matches my drapes?

Reno returned the smirk, "That is the sexiest thing that has ever said to me, yo." He laughed as he felt himself being nudged toward the bed.

Cloud claimed his mouth again as they stumbled there way there. He lost the robe and he tore at the blonds clothes as they crashed onto the bed.

He had never been so grateful that Tseng had a phobia for chocobos and he had just thought of a great way to use is extra weeks of vacation. He may not be wearing many clothes after all.


End file.
